Angel in Disguise
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Calista hasn't been herself lately, so Cordelia asks Sofia if she would take her to the carnival to cheer her up. While there, the young sorceress discovers quite the unexpected surprise. *follow-up to my story "Angel"*


Angel in Disguise

Summary: Calista hasn't been herself lately, so Cordelia asks Sofia if she would take her to the carnival to cheer her up. While there, the young sorceress discovers quite the unexpected surprise. *follow-up to my story "Angel"*

Disclaimer: I do not own the show!

A/N: I had enough people asking about seeing Angel again, and not to mention what his story is. Therefore, I figured it was necessary to bring him back to satisfy a few questions. 😉 Not to mention, a certain little sorceress will be thrilled to see her friend again. So, what's the deal with Angel? You'll find out here! Enjoy! (Oh, to a few who were confused about his name, Angel is actually a name for both guys and girls. It's more predominantly masculine in Latin-American cultures while it's usually feminine in the U.S. So, I hope that answers a few questions. Personally, I love the name either way. :D)

*Story*

"What's wrong with Calista, Ms. Cordelia?" Sofia asked curiously as they both stood in the little sorceress's bedroom entrance, watching the young girl stare blankly at her roaring fire. "She seems kind of…down."

"I know," the woman responded softly as she shut the door and led the princess down the hall a bit. "I'm a bit worried about her. She hasn't really been herself lately. She hasn't used magic in three days, Cedric said she hasn't been clinging to him like she normally does, and when she does speak it sounds rather sad. To be honest, Sofia, I'm concerned. She's not the same Calista."

"Hmm. Did anything happen that could have made her upset?" Sofia hated to see such a bright and bubbly little girl looking so glum, and she was determined to help if she could.

"I'm not sure. Oh, Sofia…" She gasped, her eyes lighting up. "I just thought of something spectacular." She beamed down at the baffled girl. "The carnival is actually here for a few days. Would you possibly take her, Princess? Get her away from here for a while so she can have a little fun and cheer up? I hate seeing my darling girl so sad."

Sofia smiled in response. "I think that's a great idea, Ms. Cordelia." She giggled. "We'll have a great time, and she'll be back to normal before you know it."

"Oh, I certainly hope so. Thank you, Sofia." She smiled and turned, heading down the hallway toward her own room.

The princess grew determined and made her way back to Calista's room, pushing her door open. She frowned when she heard the girl sigh loudly and whine a bit, flopping onto her stomach. "All right, that's it. Get up, Calista."

Calista mumbled something to herself and turned to face her friend. "Why, Sofia? What's going on?"

"You and I are going to the carnival." She smiled as she saw the interested look on the other girl's face. "We need to get out of the castle for a little while anyway. Let's have some fun."

"Fun…" She grabbed her wand from her bed and stared at it, realizing she hadn't used it in days. "I have a question, Sofia."

The princess tilted her head as she observed the younger sorceress.

"Have you ever…? Mm." She glanced toward her friend and sighed. "You ever met someone you quite enjoyed spending time with, became friends with that someone, and then it turns out…they're not who you thought they were?"

Sofia blinked at the question and faltered a bit. "Well, uh…" Technically, she _had_ , but Calista didn't need to know about _that_ incident. After all, she admired her uncle more than anyone, and they'd more than made up at this point, so there was no use in going into details. Divulging Cedric's revelation from earlier that year would likely only cause Calista to fall into a deeper slump. "Um, I'm sure I have." She frowned. "Is that what this is about? Did someone hurt your feelings?"

"Not exactly. I just…" She shrugged, looking down. "I don't really have many friends, aside from you and others here, so I guess I'm just a bit lonely sometimes." She smiled thoughtfully toward the princess. "But I'm not going to let that bother me anymore. You've been such a kind friend, Sofia, and I appreciate your trying to cheer me up." She smiled brighter. "I'd love to go to the carnival!"

Sofia giggled as the girl jumped to the floor and hurried over, hugging her. She returned the hug. "I'm glad to hear it. Let's go." She held out her hand, smiling when Calista took it.

When they arrived at the carnival, the girls were excited to see all the activities they could do. From face painting to dart throwing and magical booths, and everything in between. Of course, there were plenty of vendors set up for food should they become hungry.

"What do you want to do first?" Sofia asked as she noticed Calista staring around at all the options. "We could play games?"

"Actually, would you mind if we ate first?" the little girl asked rather sheepishly as she smiled. "I…didn't eat breakfast this morning."

Sofia nodded. "Sure! You go get us a table, and I'll bring some food for us." She turned and headed off toward some of the vendors as Calista sat on a bench.

The dark-haired girl traced patterns on the wooden table in front of her before sighing as the wind picked up. She looked off to the side and gasped softly, her dark eyes widening. "It can't be…"

There, in line for one of the games, was a boy who looked to be a few years older than she was, his long brown hair tied into a half ponytail and an interesting set of clothing causing him to stand out from the crowd.

Calista's mouth dropped. "A-Angel?" Realizing she couldn't just sit there, she jumped up and ran in the direction of the boy. She whined in aggravation as a crowd of people suddenly moved in her way, blocking her sight of the boy. "Excuse me! I am trying to get through!" She huffed as the people made no indication of moving any quicker, so she instead ducked down and slid through the crowd as nonchalantly as she could.

She stood up and brushed off her red robe, turning toward the game where she'd last seen him. Her face fell. He wasn't there.

"Hmm… Maybe it wasn't him?" She sighed and turned to head back to the bench when she suddenly ran directly into someone—someone who reached out and clasped his hands over her shoulders to keep her from falling. She gazed up into the familiar face with a look of awe. "Angel?"

Angel smiled. "Hello, Calista."

The girl gaped at him for a few moments before pinching herself on the arm, causing her to jump in surprise.

The boy frowned at her. "What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to make certain I was awake…" She then beamed and jumped up, hugging the taller boy as he returned the sentiment. "I never thought I would see you again! I was almost convinced I had dreamed you."

"I am no dream, Calista." He laughed softly and lowered her to the ground again. "But… I must admit, I wasn't completely honest with you when we first met." Seeing her frown, he quickly grabbed her hand and ushered her away from the crowd. "Come. We will talk, and you will know everything."

"E-Everything…" To be perfectly honest, Calista wasn't sure if she wanted to know 'everything.' The prospect of solving the mystery was a bit daunting, to say the least. But he seemed adamant, so she didn't fight him on it.

After a while, they were away from all eyes, on the outside of the carnival. Angel sat down on a large gray stone before patting the spot next to him, indicating for the younger girl to sit, which she did. "I guess it would be most appropriate to start at the beginning."

"I would hope so," Calista responded, her tone a bit nervous. Just what was he hiding?

"Everything I told you was actually true. My name _is_ Angel. I do belong to that tribe in Wolf's Valley. My mother is gone. I value magic a lot…"

"But what about your brother Keme? Your _younger_ brother who is now an old man while you are still a child?" She folded her arms. His story just didn't make sense to her.

"I am getting there. I know you thought of me as a spirit after I sort of…disappeared on you when your friends arrived. I apologize for that. I'm as real and alive as you or anyone else. However, there are some truly mystical properties in the Cave of Flames that sort of…changed who I was."

"What are you saying, Angel?" she asked, slightly exasperated with his halting confession.

"I cannot age."

"What?"

He lowered his head. "All I ever wanted was to be the chief of my tribe, like my father, and lead my people to greatness. I held onto that dream for a long time, even though deep down I knew it would never happen. Who wants a child for a chief, anyway?" He sighed. "And though the tribe is still very much real to me, to others it is a figment of their imagination—a mirage that tricks the eye. It is safe to say I am stuck in time, cursed to live a life of isolation and dissatisfaction."

Calista blinked as she kept listening to him.

"People think youth is so grand, but I'm here to say that once you are eternally encapsulated in it, you will think quite a bit differently."

"So…you can't…?" She didn't really want to ask the question she had burning in her brain, though he seemed to catch on as he glanced at her.

"Die?" He sighed as the wind picked up, stirring his hair around him. "I don't know. That magic force in the cave preserved this body and this childlike mentality, but I don't know if it protected me from such a fate." He closed his eyes. "To be honest, Calista… I sincerely hope I don't live forever. I have seen things no one should have to endure, and I don't care to see them again."

The young sorceress took in all that he said, and she rubbed her hands along her arms. "It may sound sort of strange, but…after you vanished when I last saw you that evening, I thought you might have been…" She giggled. "…An actual angel."

Angel smirked and nudged her playfully. "How clever you are, Calista. What would that make me? An 'Angel in Disguise?' That would be a little too cliché, wouldn't it?"

She smiled and sighed. "Whatever and whoever you are, it does not matter to me. Maybe you _are_ an angel and don't realize it. Maybe you're forever a child magic maker. Maybe you're a lively spirit. None of it matters." She blushed modestly as his gaze softened a bit at her words. "You'll always just be Angel to me—my friend."

The boy chuckled and placed a hand over her own. "And you'll always be Calista—the only true friend I've ever had." He smiled in a bittersweet fashion before glancing up. "I think we should return you to the carnival. Something tells me you will be missed."

A gasp fell from the girl's mouth. "Oh, no! I completely forgot about Sofia!" She jumped up and made to take off, but she stopped just short of that, facing the brunette again. "Angel, is this the last time we'll see each other?"

He gave her a hard stare before shrugging. "It is hard to say. I cannot know what tomorrow brings, and neither can you. But you and I are from two different worlds, Calista. You were made to roam freely with a promising future; I am bound to my Cave of Flames and the magic that infused me with this youthfulness…"

"So…this is probably goodbye for us, isn't it?"

Angel smiled sadly as he saw the girl shed a tear. He reached up and gently wiped it away. "Do not cry, Calista. Someone as kind as you should never have to feel the burden of sadness. It does not suit you." He leaned forward as she shut her eyes, and he tenderly placed a kiss on her forehead.

Calista shivered as the wind blew colder, and she suddenly realized the seat next to her was empty. She blinked several times, glancing around and looking everywhere. He was gone. Again! "Angel?" She frowned. "It's not fair… Why?"

"Calista?"

The dark-haired sorceress turned and saw Sofia heading toward her, a look of worry on her face. "Sofia…"

"Where have you been? I was coming back with food when I realized you weren't there." She sighed and placed her hands over her heart. "You scared me. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."

Calista smiled appreciatively and hung her head. "I'm sorry, Sofia… I just…needed some time to myself."

Sofia smiled in understanding before sitting down beside her. "I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have pushed this carnival on you. Sometimes I like to be alone too, even though people seem to think otherwise. You want to go home?"

The younger girl looked down, considering the situation. She looked up again when she felt the wind pick up. Her eyes widened a bit when she looked into the distance, where the vague outline of a long-haired boy stood, his body encapsulated by…were those _wings_? It couldn't be… Right? ' _Angel indeed_ ,' she thought to herself, a sense of calm washing over her. "It's okay, Sofia. Let's go back to the carnival." She smiled and took Sofia's hand, tugging her along.

The princess was baffled by the girl's sudden mood change, but she pushed the confusion aside and happily obliged.

Meanwhile, the boy in question laughed softly to himself as his 'wings' magically vanished, leaving him standing simply as Angel: no one more or less. "Goodbye, my friend," he whispered softly as he turned and disappeared into thin air.

The end


End file.
